Jurrasic Heart
by tatrchzsoup
Summary: A mysterious card from America. Tales of a salesman in a turban, who wears a key around his neck. Rex goes on a fantastic journey to discover "The Heart of the Cards."
1. Chapter 1

DISCLAIMER: Come on, guys. Of course I don't own Yugioh.

 **Jurassic Heart**

'This isn't good', Rex thought to himself as he observed the playing field in front of him. Here he was, finally competing in the regional championships, and he just couldn't seem to catch a break. Sure, he was now in the top 8 of the tournament, but this duel was so much tougher than any of his previous matches of the day. It had started out simply enough. Summoning monsters here and there, and tearing through his opponent's defenses. Rex had been sure his opponent was a strictly defensive player, but now the kid had gone on the offensive! One of Rex's newest monsters,  
a powerful velociraptor named "Uraby" had just been destroyed by his opponent's Metal Dragon, one of the newly released fusion monsters, and all Rex had in his hand was Raise Body Heat, an equip spell that would power up his dinosaurs by 300 points. 'Well, that'd be awesome if I had any monsters left!' Rex grimaced. This duel had gone on for quite a while, and both players had used most of their monsters already. There were only a few cards left to be played, and it looked like this going to be the end of the road. If Rex couldn't defend with a monster this turn, his defenses would be considered "breached" and the duel would be lost, life points or no.  
'I've come a long way, though', Rex thought as he looked back on his journey through the championship. He'd been through twelve grueling rounds already in the tournement, battled some of the strongest opponents he had ever faced and walked away from each one victorious. It had been a rough two day competition, and he was lucky to still be active. The qualifiers had taken place on Friday evening, where hundreds of unranked duelists had been eliminated. It was funny to think that just two years ago, that's exactly where Rex had been, sulking home on Friday night. This year, however, he'd been smart and gone through the local tournament circuit, where he had accumulated a strong winning record, which allowed him to jump past the qualifiers and into the thirty-two man tournament. Making the most of his night off,  
he had gone to eat with his parents, since his dad had taken the time to skip across the pond and visit from America. His dad was a paleontologist in Montana, and had been hunting dinosaurs since before Rex had even been born. Rex lived with his mother in Japan, while his dad was off having grand adventures without them. It stunk, sure, but that's how it goes. And, when he did come to visit, he always had funny stories to share with his loving family. Rex chuckled as he remembered the previous evening...

"And THEN, she says to me, Rex, buddy, you'll love this, she says 'That's no iguanadon jaw, that's an Pteranadon crest!'" Rex's father, Ray Ryuzaki laughed as he delivered the punchline. The trio erupted in laughter at the joke, leaving their server to stand by awkwardly. A quick scan of the room would tell an outside observer that these were definitely a family of black sheep. Ray, dressed in cargo pants, a canvas shirt and hiking boots, ball cap turned backwards to hide his long, though balding, hair. Pam, Rex's mother, meanwhile, was heavily tattooed with various purple streaks throughout her long dark hair. She was dressed normally enough, but her blouse's sleeves had been turned up to reveal her various tattoos on her arms, most dealing with some sort of flora. And finally their son, or at least it was to be assumed it was their son, looked like a wild beast at first glance. Long, untamed brown hair hung down the boy's back, his signature red beanie allowing a few violet strands to be visible while hiding the rest. He was dressed far more casually than the others, wearing khaki shorts, a plain black t-shirt and flip flops. As the laughter died down, the server seized his opportunity to take the family's drink orders before walking back to the kitchen to retreive the beverages. "So, Rex, how's school coming?" Rex laughed in response, always amused by his father's mastery of hopping the line between friend and father.  
"It's okay. The teachers are nice enough, I'm just honestly not that interested in most of my classes." He replied. Ray nodded understandingly. "You have to remember," Ray started, "That just because you're not interested now doesn't mean you won't ever be. For example, dinosaurs are super cool, right?" Rex laughed and nodded, always the avid fan. "But to appreciate the dinosaurs, you have to appreciate what came before and after. Fish and amphibians. Understanding differing variations of stone, so you can tell a fossil from a pebble. That doesn't come easy. It takes a lot of effort, and a lot of knowledge." Ray said as he accepted his beer from the waiter. Rex took his own water, while Pam accepted hers as well. "I know," Rex said, but was interrupted by his father waving his hand to cut his son off. The server took the note, and decided to return later. "I know you know," Ray started, "But it's one thing to know, and another to understand. I know that sounds vague, son, but knowledge comes from experience and a thirst to grow. And you'll get there. I'm not lecturing you, I just don't want you to lose your course. After all, you're gonna come study with me in America soon, and I want you to be ready." Rex nodded his understanding.  
"Are we ready to order?" The server had returned, anxious to get this group of goofballs on their way. Pam began to speak, but Ray waved his hand again. "Not yet, actually. We might be here a while, got a lot of catching up to do." The server obviously meant to sigh to himself, but did so out loud. Embarassed, he covered his mouth and skulked away. Ray grinned. "I love making people uncomfortable. It's too easy, sometimes." Pam sighed as her boys erupted into racouse laughter.

"HEE HEE HEE HEE HEE". Their laughter was interrupted now by someone else's, a young boy around Rex's age, maybe a year younger, with bright blue hair and bug-eyed glasses. "Already laughing about how poorly you'll do tomorrow, Raptor? Expecting to be knocked out in round one?" The young man was Weevil Underwood, a duelist from the East Japan division who was also competing in the regional competition. "I'm surprised to see you out tonight, I figured you'd be scoping out the competition. But I suppose everyone deserves a last meal! HEE HEE HEE HEE HEE HEE HEE HEE! Oh..." Weevil rubbed his head in the place his mother had slapped him upside the head. "Haga, be kind to your inferiors. Happy help is productive help." Weevil's father had joined the rest of the family. He was an imposing man. Impecably dressed with square, thick framed glasses. He was tall, at least a foot taller than his wife, who was roughly Rex's height. A crying girl, probably around four, was clutching her father's hand while she bawled her eyes out. Weevil's mother sighed in an uninterested fashion as she crossed her arms and scowled at the family.  
"I think you may be mistaken." Pam said, happy to finally get a word in edgewise, but also irritated at the disrespect being shown her family. She stood to face the family, staring daggers in their direction. "My son is going to win the whole damn contest, and there's nothing Bug-Boy here can do about it." Weevil's parents looked taken aback by the rebuttal, while the young girl began to laugh and exclaim, "Papa, the lady said a bad word!" Weevil's father motioned his family toward the door. "We'll see soon." As he began to exit, he turned back, having just taken notice of Ray's attire, and the dirt that had collected on his boots. "Make certain you're careful eating your chicken fingers, sir. Wouldn't want to dirty your finest suit." He turned and walked out the door with his family, leaving the Ryzaki clan in silence.  
"What a bitch." Pam exclaimed angrily as she plopped back down in her seat, visibly fuming. "Where does she get off talking to us like that? No wonder their kids are such brats." She sighed as she looked across the table at her own offspring, and welled up with pride. "Rex, honey, do your best tomorrow. Whether you win or lose, we'll love you just the same." She said as she gripped her son's hand. "But... if you could beat that kid down a couple notches, we'll probably buy you some more new cards." She laughed as she squeezed Rex's hand before letting go.  
"Pam..." Ray said, slightly irritated. "You gave away the surprise!" Pam covered her hand with her mouth. "I'm so sorry, Ray!" She exclaimed.  
"Sir, are we ready to order?" The server had returned at the wrong time. "I said not yet!" Ray responded, raising his voice slightly, but not enough to sound angry. The server yelped and scurried away. "Oh...crap, I was actually gonna order some jalapeno poppers." Ray said as he slapped his own forehead.  
"So... a surprise?" Rex could hardly contain his excitement. His father's gifts were always the best. Last time, he had brought home a collection of Trilobyte fossils, and the time before that, his signature Two Headed King Rex. Whatever it was, this surprise was sure to be a good one.  
"Well." Ray started as he locked eyes with his son. "Rex, you're my pride and joy. I love you so much, and I couldn't be prouder of you." Rex felt his cheeks begin to flush. His dad was a pro at making people feel awkward, and he always picked the worst times to have touching moments. "I hate that I only see you sometimes, and that I'm only good for bringing you stuff. I hope that can change this summer when we get to making some memories. I hope we can catch up." Ray said before breaking into a grin. "But the surprise is something I think you'll love." He said as he reached into his bag, and pulled out three Duel Monsters cards.  
"Oh wow!" Rex exclaimed as he saw the cards. "What kind are they, dad? Dragons? Reptiles? There aren't too many dinosaur cards, I think I've already got most of them, so it can't be that. Maybe it's an effect monster? Those are entering circulation soon. Is it a spell? A trap? Maybe a..." His father's signature hand wave stopped Rex in the middle of his babbling.  
"Take a look, if you really want to know." Ray handed his son two cards, but held onto the third, keeping it face down on the table, not allowing his son to peek.  
Rex was amazed. So far, all of the dinosaur cards, save a few, were already in his possession. It was a pretty undersupported type right now, but it had become Rex's signature, taking advantage of the unappreciated monster type to take his opponent's by surprise. His Two Headed King Rex was probably one of the strongest dinosaur cards released so far, and it had won him several duels at the local card shop. But these! One was a black and gray striped velociraptor named "Uraby", and it was only one hundred points weaker than his King Rex! It was sure to come in handy! But the one that had really caught his eye was the high level monster on the right. Rex lost himself as he stared at the card. It was a stegosaurus, but it also could have been a kentrosaurus. "Sword Arm of Dragon..." Rex mumbled to himself in awe. 1750 attack power wasn't too shabby. And if the battle ever got rough and he needed to defend, 2030 was almost always going to be more than enough power to do so.  
"They were just released in the states." Ray said. "There was a vendor at the airport I picked them up from right before I got on the plane. Odd looking guy, too. White dress, turban. Wore a key around his neck." Rex couldn't care less about the vendor's dress habits. He was holding in his hand the key to his victory! He was sure to win the tournament now! But then he remembered something.  
"What about that third card?" Rex asked. He knew his father, and he wouldn't have held onto it if it didn't come with a catch, or it wasn't important.  
"Well, I thought maybe I'd reward you with this one after you make it to the finals. After all, such an AMAZING card as this one can't go to just ANYBODY!" Rex grimaced. He knew there was a catch. There was always a catch.  
"But...what if I need that card to get there?" Rex asked, hoping to ploy his way into changing his father's mind.  
"Then. This one will be sure to help you. Say hello to the strongest monster in your deck!" Pam said with a smile as she pulled yet another card out of her purse to surprise her son. "It's called Megazowler." She stated as she watched her son admiring the card. "I think it's based on a Styracosaurus." 1800 attack power! Few things could stand up to that in duel monsters!  
"Guys, thank you so much." Rex sniffled. "You didn't have to do all this for me. It means a lot." Rex knew money wasn't the most readily available resource for his family, and duel monsters cards didn't come cheap. In fact, it was the most expensive card game to play now that the new hologram system had been introduced. Rex had even had to pay to transfer most of his old cards in for the new, hologram compatible cards. Being spoiled to this extent was not something he was used to, and the feeling left him almost speechless.  
"Go get 'em tomorrow, son." Pam said, squeezing Rex's shoulder.  
"Are we ready to order, sir?" The server had returned once again, hoping to finally make progress with this table that was taking up room in his section. Ray groaned, "Not yet, I said!" The waiter scurried off, and Ray remembered that he had wanted to order an appetizer. "Son of a bitch." He mumbled, frustrated with himself, earning a quick kick in the shins from Pam and a laugh from Rex.  
"I gotta tell you though, Rex," Ray began as he rubbed his freshly wounded shin, "There really was something weird about the guy I got the cards from." He said, lowering his voice and looking around the room, seemingly concerned someone may be listening. "He only accepted payment for the "Uraby" and "Sword Arm" cards. This one," Ray said, pointing at the face down card on the table, "He demanded I take and give to you. He even used your name. Said 'Rex will need this soon.'" Rex's jaw dropped hearing the tale. It wasn't fanciful or full of adventure like some of his father's usual exaggerated tales. It was just weird. What could it mean? Who was this guy? How did he know him? And what was this card? Whatever it was, it had to be his! "Did he say what I'll need it for?" Rex asked, to which his father responded by shaking his head. "No, he handed me the card, and as soon as I got done looking at it, he was gone." Ray replied, causing Rex and Pam both to gasp. "I'll give you a hint though, kiddo. It's a dragon that has something to do with someone that's dead." Rex looked puzzled at Ray's clue, wanting more. Ray just shook his head. "That's all I'm gonna tell you, kid. If you really want to know, make sure and make the finals tomorrow. If it really is this important, I want to make sure you're ready for it before I give it to you." Rex nodded, accepting the challenge, a new fire lit in his heart. "Well, this Sword Arm of Dragon and Megazowler are stronger than anythin else in my deck right now. They're gonna mop the floor with the other duelists!" Rex exclaimed excitedly. "And then, that dragon, whatever it is, is gonna take me higher than ever before!" Rex couldn't help himself, he jumped up, full of excitement, scaring the approaching server back into the kitchen.  
Ray and Pam beamed at their son, so proud of the young man he was becoming. Ray was the first to break the silence. "Jeez, where is that waiter?"

...

Rex was broken from his reverie by the sound of the announcer. "Rex Raptor, the dinosaur duelist, has yet to make a move! Has he gone extinct?!" Blaring over the loudspeakers, Rex could feel the audience's eyes upon him. He looked back down at his hand, seeing only the equip card. 'Either one of those new monsters would really help me out right now...' He thought as he looked at his deck. 'But I haven't seen either yet. They're probably both at the bottom...' Rex couldn't seem to take his eyes off his deck as every possible scenario raced through his head. There were so many cards he had played already that could have saved the day. Knowing his luck, he'd draw ANOTHER Raise Body Heat and that would be that. Still, he couldn't help but feel that this was finally his year.  
"You can do it, Rex!" The sound of a young girl's voice rang over the audience's cheers and chatter. Rex looked up to see Meg, another duelist in the competition. She had been knocked out the round before, but they had become friends during the local circuit tournaments. He didn't know her very well, but she sure was supportive. "Yes, my friend! This duel is yours! Turn that boy into a can of tuna!" Rex laughed as he heard Mako's voice over the crowds. Rex liked to think of Mako as a friend, but the truth was that he was more of a mentor. After his humiliating loss at last year's regionals, Mako had sought him out and gone out of his way to educate him about some of Duel Monsters' more subtle rulings and strategies. For whatever reason, Mako hadn't entered this year's contest, but was still here to see his protegee succeed.  
As Rex scanned the audience, seeing familiar faces as well as strangers, he heard his opponents shrill voice from across the ring.  
"Hey Dino Doofus, it's your move! If you want to give up just say so, but stop wasting my time!" The boy yelled.  
Embarassed, Rex's gaze drifted back down toward his deck. The kid was annoying, sure, but he was right. It was crunch time now, and he had to make a play, good or bad.  
'It's silly to think I'll draw one of those new monsters...it'd be way too convenient.' Rex thought to himself. He placed his fingers to grip the edges of his next card and closed his eyes. He could feel a surge of emotion, mixed with a feeling he didn't know. 'It's definitely not my kind of luck...Still...' Rex shook his head furiously, attempting to clear his head. He could feel his cards pulsing.  
'I must be losing it...like my cards care if I win...' as he prepared to draw a card, he saw a flash of bright light from behind his closed eyes.  
"Mom...Dad...Mystery Card...whoever. I need a lucky break!" He exclaimed as he drew his card. When he worked up the courage to look at what he had drawn, his jaw dropped. "No way...no way..." He couldn't believe it! He'd drawn "Sword Arm of Dragon", and his new monster was about to make it's debut!  
"Get ready, punk!" Rex shouted across the ring, donning his game face once more. "Because I'm summoning the terror of the Jurassic forests! Make way for Sword Arm of Dragon!" Rex shouted as he slapped the card onto the hologram projection box. There was a flash of light one second, and the next an orange and cream colored stegosaurus meterialized, slamming it's heavy tail onto the battlefield. Rex grinned, and looked into the audience to see his parents smirking and waving peace signs.  
"But that's not all, because I'm also equipping him with a spell card, Raise Body Heat!" Rex played the card, and his monster grew bright red-orange, and increased in size. "This card gives a dinosaur 300 extra attack points!" Rex's opponent let out a gasp as he realized this next attack would be enough to wipe out his remaining life points. "That's right! This'll be enough to wipe out your monster, and end this duel! Sword Arm of Dragon! Attack!" His opponent recoiled in fear as Rex's monster charged, and slammed into Metal Dragon, destroying the monster in a burst of light and decaying particles, reducing the opponent's life points to zero.  
"Oh yeah!" Rex cheered as the platforms descended to the ground. Rex collected his deck, and went over to shake his opponent's hand. "Great job, man!" Rex smirked. His opponent was silent, but shook his hand before running off. The sound of the tournament bracket reshuffling caught Rex's attention, distracting him from his parents running up to him. "And Rex Raptor's next opponent will be Daisuke Shigara, the Beast Tamer!" The announcer blared over the loud speaker.  
"One more to go..." Rex said as he heard the news, gazing at the updated bracket. 'One more until I meet the mystery dragon...'

...

Author's notes: Hey guys, I hope you enjoyed this little introductory chapter! In case anyone is confused, this is definitely taking place in the anime, not the real world. At the beginning of the series, there were lots of little oddities in the rules, so I decided to try and incorporate them instead of skating over them, i.e., the "breached" clause. For the next little while, this will be a common thing. If a player is unable to play a card, their defenses will be breached, and the opposing player will win.

I'd also like to say that this is all Rex's story, following him instead of Yugi and the gang, and we'll get to see him develop. For now, I'll be following the main story fairly closely, but at some point, assuming this series continues, I'll deviate pretty heavily.

And finally! When I was much younger, there was site called Geocities, where one of my favorite fanfiction authors wrote her own stories regarding Rex. If anyone remembers, her site was called "Shining Friendships", and she went by Ryuzaki13. Since Geocities is no longer a thing, of course, I've been unable to find her work. But I loved her stories so much, and the glimpse into Rex the anime didn't show, that it inspired me to do the same. That said, this story will in no way be a copycat. This is my perception of my favorite character's journey, and I can't wait to go on this adventure with y'all.

If you have any criticism, ideas, or anything, I'd love to hear from you, even if you just want to make fun of me. Thanks for reading, and I'll try to have the next chapter up ASAP!

-soup.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I absolutely don't own Yugioh.

"And we have a winner!" The voice came booming over the loudspeaker as Rex watched his Megazowler disappear from the hologram stage.

He'd done it! Somehow he had managed to overcome Shigara, the Beast Tamer, and move on to the final round! Rex believed in himself, sure, but to think that in only a year he'd gone from being knocked out on qualifier night all the way to the finals was incredible! His monsters had really come through for him this time. So many times he had almost been beaten, but lucky draw after lucky draw had kept him in the game. Several of his monsters had died to maintain his defenses, but their sacrifice paid off in the end! He gazed down at his deck, swelling with pride in his monsters. Despite being outmatched, he had been able to use his brain and outsmart his opponent this time. The feeling of fear he had felt when met by Shigara's Battle Ox was horrifying, but by using a spell, something Rex rarely did if it wasn't to beef up his own horde of dinosaurs, he had been able to take the victory.

"Rex! Fantastic! Amazing! Stupendous!" Meg's voice rang as she ran up to greet her friend, followed closely behind by Mako Tsunami, as well as Rex's parents. Mako slapped him on the back in a brotherly fashion, and the look of pride in his face was unmistakable.

"Rex, my friend, you have come so far. You have but one opponent left, and I believe you will rise against him with the power of the sea!" Mako exclaimed. Rex grinned and nodded in agreement, but then shifted his attention to his parents. Pam was nudging Ray in the ribs, to which he let out a deep sigh.

"Son, I don't even know what to say. I've seen you make some excellent plays and tough out some really hard situations, but to think you've got my brawn AND your mom's smarts. Sheesh, you're a real nightmare for the competition!" Ray laughed, wrapping his arm around his son's shoulders lovingly, squeezing him tight. "What do you say we grab some food?" Rex nodded, but was shocked to see his father's signature hand wave directed at his mother and friends. "If it's all the same to you guys, I think me and Rex should talk a few things over." Ray and Pam shared a look, but she quickly agreed, and offered Mako and Meg to join her for lunch instead.

As Ray and Rex made their way toward the food court, Rex heard clearly over the loudspeakers what he already knew was coming. "And with that, the East Japan division champion has been crowned! Tonight, in only a few short hours, East and West will collide! Haga "Weevil" Underwood will face off against our newest rising star, Rex "Raptor" Ryuzaki!"

Ray looked down at his son as they made their way to a concessions line. "Nervous?" He asked him. Rex looked down.

"Yeah, a little. I just don't want to give Weevil any more reason to be annoying." Ray nodded, and silence swept over them as they waited in line. After a while, Ray looked around and said,

"Hey, buddy, why don't you go grab us a table? I'll get the food." Rex agreed, filing out of the large queue of people that was now swarming the counter, eventually finding the only small table that was still available.

Before long, Ray returned carrying a tray with two burgers and a large portion of fries, as well as two drinks for them. Rex tore into his own burger with a ravenous hunger while his father watched him with interest. As Rex finished his food, and gulped down his drink, Ray set his own burger down and cleared his throat.

"Rex, what do you know about Egypt?" Ray asked, attempting to hide his heavy tone with a lighter, unnatural sound. Rex looked at his father for a moment before responding, "Not much, honestly. Why? Are you planning to dig there soon?" Ray shook his head. "Maybe eventually, but not soon. I only ask, because…" He trailed off, trying to find his words. "Listen, I'm nervous about this card." He said finally. "The guy that gave it to me made me really uneasy, like there was something unnatural about him. I don't want you getting mixed up in anything too crazy, or worse, dangerous."

Rex stared at him incredulously. What in the world was his dad talking about? Duel monsters was just a card game, after all. Who cares if some guy wanted to do something nice for him?

"Dad, I think you're overthinking this." Rex stated calmly. This was not a dynamic that was normal for the family, Rex attempting to calm his father down. "I mean, really. What's the worst thing that can come from a card?" Ray sighed and considered his son's words.

"I know it seems silly. It just didn't make sense, is all. How did this guy know who I was, know who you are?" He shook his head. "I don't know. Anyway…" He reached into his shirt pocket and procured a card, handing it over to his son.

Rex sat there with his mouth agape as he looked at it. "Serpent Night Dragon…" He mumbled. It was as if the card was magnetic, Rex couldn't take his eyes off of it. Something in the sleek, dark blue, serpentine body caught his attention, and it was mesmerizing. Not only was it stronger than any card he had ever owned before, but there was something about this one that was special.

Rex felt a slight pulse coming off the card, causing him to gasp softly. That feeling! It was the same one from his duel against the Metal Dragon! He shook his head, attempting to clear his thoughts, well aware his father was watching him closely. Maybe it would be okay not to tell his dad about this. After all, he was already worried.

"Thank you so much, dad." Rex finally said, still staring down at the dragon.

"Yeah, it's really something, isn't it?" Ray replied. "I caught myself staring at it like that a few times too. But I'm the sensitive type." Ray said, finally bringing some of his classic humor back into the conversation.

"Yeah, you're real touchy feely, aren't you, dad?" Rex smirked. Ray laughed and finished his food, piling the trash onto a tray.

"Well, we'd better get back." Ray said as he threw the waste into the garbage can and placed the tray on top. "Just promise me, Rex. Promise you'll be careful." Rex nodded reassuringly, and the two went back to the stadium to find the others. Out of the corner of his eye, however, Rex could have sworn he saw a man in a turban, wearing a key around his neck.

Authors Notes: So guys, apparently when I said "ASAP" I had no idea how crazy my life was about to get. Went off to college, worked an on campus job, and I had zero time for anything not related to school. First off, I want to offer a huge apology to anyone who enjoyed the first chapter, and then got nothing for over a year. Because of this, I wanted to get another chapter out quickly now that I have time.

I will attempt to be as consistent as I can be in updating, and I plan on releasing several more chapters this summer, and hopefully at least one or two as time permits once school starts back up. If you're interested in the story, I thank you firstly for reading it at all, and secondly for your patience.

Now, notes on the story: We made it guys! Chapter two! Things are progressing now. I have a distinct vision for where I want to take this, and we're already setting things up for it. Chapter three should be up tonight or tomorrow night as well, and I thank you so much for taking the time to read. As always, thoughts, suggestions, criticisms, whatever you've got I welcome. We all want to be better, and I want to see this story be the best it can be. So don't be shy, send me whatever you've got! Thanks again for reading, and coming on this journey with me.

-soup.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh or any related titles.

"A dragon created from the soul of a wicked knight." Rex mumbled under his breath, staring at his new card. "I know every card in Duel Monsters has a story behind it, I wonder what this one's is…" Rex had been lost in thought since his conversation with his father. Ray had certainly been concerned, and maybe for good reason. Although initially Rex had been dismissive of his father's concerns, he had to admit that maybe Ray had a point. It was odd, at best, for some stranger in an airport to seem to know so much about him. Weirder still, was how the man had said that Rex would need the card in the future. What good could a card do besides help win a game?

"Well, at the very least, it can do that." Rex said aloud, to no one in particular. He gazed up at the ceiling from the chair in the food court. When they had returned to the others, Rex's parents had disappeared to find better seats, Meg tagging along behind them. Mako had decided to hang out with Rex prior to the final round, but the two had been sitting in silence for the last hour or so. Rex had been lost in thought, and Mako thought it best to let his protégé work out his own thoughts.

Now that the lunch crowd had died down, the food court was almost empty, save for a few passerbies gazing at Rex, in awe of his being a finalist, although their stares may have had more to do with the much taller incredibly tan man sitting opposite him.

"Rex, my friend, would you care to talk about what is troubling you?" Mako asked, finally breaking the silence.

Rex looked up at his friend, taking his eyes off the card for the first time in what seemed like ages. He smiled lamely at his friend, unable to hide the nerves that were plaguing him for a number of reasons. The business with the card had him spooked, to be sure, but there was no denying he was also nervous about the upcoming match. Normally being a finalist would have been good enough for him, especially considering the progress he had made in the last year. Against any other opponent, he would have been happy to just have fun with the match. But Weevil…

"I'm just a little nervous, I guess. It's nothing to worry about." Rex replied. "It'll be over soon, anyway."

"You know, Rex," Mako started, "I remember last year. You were so pumped up after your very first official victory. But I also remember your discouragement that soon followed. You have come so far since then, and you are now ready. You are a real duelist, now."

Rex grinned, but shot his friend an irritated look.

"You could have been nicer about it, you know." Rex said. "I know I had a lot to learn, but my gosh, that Fiend Kraken combo was overkill! You'd already won, anyway!" Rex's faux irritation earned a smile from his friend.

"Rex, you would not have been content with an opponent holding back. After all, your mighty dinosaur deserved an honorable defeat, did he not?" Mako said.

Rex smirked as he remembered that day. He certainly had come far, as he had to keep reminding himself whenever the nerves about the final crept up. Just last year he had been so much weaker, but so much cockier.

"Yeah! How do you like that?" Rex had yelled as his opponent slumped off in defeat. Rex grinned down at his Two Headed King Rex, the strongest dinosaur now in circulation. It had won him his first official match! He didn't even need that Raise Body Heat card! "I knew spells were a waste of time. If you've got the biggest monster, you can't lose!"

Rex had looked up to see the board reshuffling, showing his next opponent.

"And in the next round, the Jurassic Giant Rex Ryuzaki will take on the Pride of Poseidon himself, Mako "Tsunami" Kajiki!" The announcement blared over the loudspeaker.

"Oh, great." Rex mumbled to himself. He had been fine taking down some nobody, he did that every Friday night at the card shop. But this guy sounded like an established competitor. He even had a nickname!

Rex gave a start as he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned quickly on the spot to be met by the same face he had just seen on screen.

"Hello, my friend! Be prepared, we will do battle soon!" Mako had said. "In fact, they are calling for us now! Come, join me!" Mako waved Rex forward. He was right. Here in the qualifiers, the matches took place much more quickly, trying to mill through all of the lower ranked duelists as fast as possible.

A table had just opened up, and the judge had arrived, so the pair sat down opposite each other. They began to shuffle each other's decks, and quickly drew their opening hands.

"Do not be nervous, little guppy." Mako said. It wasn't trash talk. This guy had a weird way of talking, but Rex could tell he meant well.

"Don't get your speedo in a bunch. At least not yet." Rex said with a grin as he drew his first card. He had not waited for a decision regarding who went first, but Mako didn't protest. He seemed content to just let the younger player do as he wished.

"I'm gonna start things off with a good friend of mine! Say hello to the mighty Trakadon!" Rex exclaimed, slapping the card onto the table. "What do you think of that, huh?" Rex stared daggers at his opponent. There was a time to make friends, sure, but this wasn't it. A duel was a battle, and Rex would be no loser.

Mako smirked as he drew his card. "I believe you take great pride in your cards. That is commendable, of course. However…" Mako trailed off as he pulled two cards out of his hand. "I will play my Jellyfish in defense mode," he said slyly, "as well as place one card face down."

Rex stared down at the board in front of him. Could it be a trap? They weren't very common yet. Then again, this guy did have a nickname, so it was likely he had access to a larger pool of cards.

'Better play it safe, here…' Rex thought to himself as he drew his card.

"I summon Anthrosaurus in defense mode." Rex said, much more tamely than before. "And then I'll switch my Trakadon to defense mode, as well. That's it."

As the turn shifted back to Mako, he nodded. "Smart playing, Tuna fish. Smart playing indeed."

"Oh come on, can you lay off the fish puns? What are you, some kind of freaky fish guy?" Rex asked. This seemed to strike a nerve.

"I am not a freaky fish guy!" Mako exclaimed. "My respect for the sea and its creatures is well placed, I can assure you. And now I will show you.

"I summon Fiend Kraken in attack mode!" Mako cried as he slapped the card down. "And now, I will equip him with the Power of Kaishin, giving him an extra 300 attack points!"

Rex slouched slightly, concerned. This was bad. This freaky octopus thing now had enough strength to kill either of his monsters.

"But that isn't all! I will also activate my face down card, the spell "Stop Defense" to switch your Anthrosaurus into attack mode!"

Rex grimaced as his monster was forced into attack position. It couldn't defend his life points anymore!

"And now, I switch my Jellyfish into attack mode, and he will destroy your Trakadon!" Rex sighed as he moved the card into the graveyard, knowing what was coming. "And finally, Fiend Kraken will destroy Anthrosaurus!"

As Rex moved the card into the graveyard, he saw the judge marking down his life points from 2000 to 1500. Rex avoided eye contact with Mako as he drew his next card. His grin was unmistakable.

"Here we go! Two Headed King Rex, come on out!" Rex cried, summoning his favorite monster. "King Rex, kill that Jellyfish!"

Mako smirked as he moved his monster to the graveyard.

"That was foolish of you, sea urchin. For if you had destroyed my Kraken instead, you would be in a much safer position. But now, you will face the fury and ferocity of the sea!" Mako said as he drew his next card, no concerned in the slightest about his life points dropping to 1600.

"I will now play the counterpart to my other spell, Block Attack! This makes your dinosaur much easier to kill!" Make said. "And then, my Kraken will destroy him! Go, Kraken! Show no mercy!"

This was getting hairy. His best monster was dead now, and Mako seemed to be toying with him. These basic combos were nothing, but they were still getting the job done.

"The basics are important. Mastering the fundamentals will go a long way." Mako said sagely. "I will set one card face down, and give you a chance to turn this around."

Rex had stared down at his deck. Things weren't too bad yet, but none of the monsters in his hand could stand up to Mako's Kraken. Maybe there was something to these spells he had been so quick to disregard.

'Come on, deck. I know you've got it in you to get me out of this mess! Come on, give me something good!' Rex had thought to himself. As he drew his card, he felt a quickening beat, almost like a heartbeat.

As he stared at his card, he couldn't believe what he'd drawn. There was no way. It wasn't possible! Yet here it was!

"Okay, Mako, get ready! I summon Armored Lizard!" Rex announced. This lizard certainly wasn't a dinosaur, but with the lack of support for the type, Rex had had to get creative in his deck building. "And next, he's gonna get a little beefy! Go! Invigoration!" Rex cried, powering up his monster.

Mako grinned. "Excellent, Rex! This game is about so much more than just attacking! Help your monsters be better! Bring out their potential!"

"Give it a rest," Rex said, "I know how to play the game. Don't get preachy now just because you're about to lose! Now," Rex turned his attention back to the game, "Armored Lizard, destroy his Kraken!" Rex ordered. However, Mako quickly revealed his face down card.

"I activate Negate Attack. Excellent attempt, Rex." Mako said, proceeding to draw his card. "But I'm afraid this is the end. I activate Pot of Greed."

Rex sighed as Mako drew his two cards. "And then," Mako started, "I will equip my Fiend Kraken with Mage Power, boosting his attack strength further!"

Rex gasped. Mako's monster now had an attack power of 2500! Nothing in Rex's deck could stand up to that!

"But I'm afraid that is not all. Next, I will summon the fearsome Catapult Turtle! Prepare for the end! Kraken, attack!"

With his monster destroyed, Rex's life points now rested at 900. This was bad. And that turtle was making him nervous. It only had 1000 attack points, what good could it do?

"Finally, with my turtle's ability, I can sacrifice Kraken, and deal half of its strength directly to your life points!" Mako exclaimed.

Rex hung his head. He had been too confident. With only one victory under his belt, he had immediately been knocked out of the tournament. It had all happened so fast, he couldn't believe it.

"Rex," he heard Mako say, "that was an excellent match. Thank you for giving me your best." Mako held out his hand to shake Rex's. Rex stared at it for a moment, amazed that someone could win so gracefully. He eventually reached forward and shook his hand as well.

"That wasn't my best," Rex said. "I can get better. The next time we play, it won't be so easy for you." Rex said with a grin.

"That is the right attitude, guppy. I believe you will one day be an excellent duelist." Mako said. "Perhaps I could even lend a hand? I would love to witness your growth." The two stood up and proceeded to walk away.

Rex laughed and waved his hand, quite reminiscent of his father. "Yeah, right. Like a freaky fish guy could help me." Rex laughed as he strolled away. As he did so, he distinctly heard Mako's voice.

"I AM NOT A FREAKY FISH GUY!"

"Though of course, you did eventually seek out my help." Mako said, bringing Rex out of his reverie. "And few things have brought me as much pride as watching you grow."

Rex laughed. "Yeah, it was a pain to realize how little I really knew about the game. Did I ever thank you for help?" Rex asked.

Mako laughed. It had certainly been a struggle at first. "It was nothing!" Mako lied. "You showed much promise from the very beginning! You only needed to be shown a few of the game's finer points."

Rex was about to reply, when he heard the loudspeaker come to life. "Would our two finalists please report to the green room. Our final match is about to begin!"

"Well, I guess it's time." Rex said, rising to his feet.

"Wait a moment, Rex." Mako said. He reached into his pocket, and pulled out a card. "I'd like you to put this into your deck for the finals. Just in case you need it." Mako handed him a card, and smiled at his friend.

"This guy? Jeez." Rex said as he slid the card into his deck, removing one of his weaker reptiles to make room. "Thanks, man." Rex called to his friend as he began to make his way downstairs.

"You have a nickname now, Rex! Go show you deserve it!"

Rex laughed. Well, if he was going to get knocked out again, at least he was going to do it in style. And there was no way Weevil would see Catapult Turtle coming.

Author's notes: Alrighty guys! Next time we get to see Rex finally take on Weevil in the finals. Thank you again to all who are reading this story, I really appreciate ya'll taking the time to do so. As always, any criticism, suggestions, or in general comments are welcomed and encouraged. I'd also like to ask, are the duels enjoyable to read? Any thoughts on making them better, or should they be passed over? I realize that's a weird question for a Yugioh fic, but not everyone enjoys reading them, so I thought it'd be good to ask. Thanks again for reading, and I'll try and get the next chapter up soon!

-soup.


End file.
